Point of No Return (1993)

Bridget Fonda gave a magnificent performance as Maggie in this suspenseful thriller. I'm currently watching the recent TV series NIKITA and thought it would be cool to see the original, but downloading the trailer of the Luc Besson film, I just decided no way. I had seen this movie POINT OF NO RETURN when it was first doing its pay-channel rounds, but now, watching it on DVD, and looking at it with NIKITA hindsight, I really appreciate it. Every nuance of the fine acting by Bridget was just now slurped up... She is both harsh and soft, vulnerable and volatile, excellent casting. She gave a lot to the character, but that's her pedigree showing. After all, she was in a stinker of a failed movie a couple of years before, LEATHER JACKETS*, in which she managed to shine despite the whole thing being a sunken ship before the voyage even got under way. An action movie with a complex female lead. Compare this to regular cardboard character (male) action heroes!

*my regular followers are shaking their heads. He's talking about LEATHER JACKETS yet again!

Bridget Fonda's eyes are what makes POINT OF NO RETURN great! Added to that, she is very light on her feet, and moves like an elegant yacht. Look at her when she comes up those stairs in the restaurant assassination scene.

Another interesting bit is how it is clear to me that Quentin Tarantino watched this movie back there in the video shops. He later cast Harvey Keitel in a similar role, no, rather an over- the-top celebration of this in PULP FICTION, and Bridget was in his JACKIE BROWN, complete with a bare foot soles scene (just more elaborated on) such as around halfway in this movie. And coincidentally, Bridget's character's name in LEATHER JACKETS was Claudi, here Claudia is an assumed name. Also, in the recent TV series we have Maggie Q playing NIKITA who was at least in part inspired by Maggie Hayward. And, by the way, Bridget was named after Bridget Hayward, born out of her father's first marriage. Okay, silly trivia, I will shut up now...

Fmovies: Loved this film. The plot was amazing and Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Dermot Mulroney and Anne Bancroft were fabulous! It follows Maggie who becomes an elite assassin but love gets in the way.

This American version of "La Femme Nikita" from 1993 stars Bridget Fonda a a drug-addicted murderer who is saved from lethal injection by a government agent (Gabriel Byrne), who gives her the chance to train as an assassin. Naturally she takes it though she is very resistant.

She goes through the training and carries out assignments, but has to on the surface lead a normal life. When she meets and falls for J.P. (Dermot Mulrooney), having to keep so much of situation secret becomes difficult.

Bridget Fonda is excellent as Maggie, who is transformed into a classy killer. Gabriel Byrne gives a marvelous performance as her low-key recruiter, who winds up bonding with her. Harvey Keitel plays "The Cleaner" and he's scary as all get-out.

Very exciting film, violent, and fast-moving. Fonda seems to be retired now - she is a very appealing actress and handled the role beautifully.

Point of No Return fmovies. This IS a really brutal movie-I usually don't like violence in movies but in this case the violence was sort of neccessary for the overall subject at hand. Once I got past that, I really enjoyed this in a way that surprised me because it wouldn't be the type of pic I'd usally watch.

I think Gabriel Byrne is what made this movie. He was great as Bob and the chemistry between him and maggie/Nina was overwhelming. I think this was a movie made good by the cast. I thought Fonda and Byrne were incredible.

I wouldn't call this "dreary" as much as sometimes brutal with alot of violence. Still it's a good movie, I think besides the incredible chemistry between Byrne and Fonda the story was moving and makes you want to know what happens nest.

Harvey Keitel was positively creepy as the Cleaner! There are some really-well- for lack of a better term icky scenes in the movie but the acting is first rate and holds your attention.

There are some negatives to: to much violence that seemed kind of for shock value, after awhile it becomes a bit much:ok we get the idea. The AMMOUNT of shootings, explosions etc detracts from the wonderful acting and powerful story at hand, they could have minimized the brutality A LITTLE.

Also, Gabriel Byrne and Bridget Fonda should have had more scenes together, their chemistry is what made the movie. I understand, looking at imdb comments that this is a remake and I didn't know that before, but although this movie is very engrossing it doesn't get up to 10 status. Stil, it's defintely worth seeing if you have a strong stomach and haven't seen it.

This is a very well done action thriller. Instead of crazy stunts and too much violence - you feel the tension from empathy with the heroine played to perfection by Bridget Fonda. Bridget is slim and elegant and the transformation is quite fun to watch. It's like watching a supermodel action star.

Supporting cast are really well cast. Anne Bancroft makes a brief but memorable appearance. Gabriel Byrne adds some stature. Dermot Mulroney is charming. Harvey Keitel is effectively chilling.

The Nina Simone songs are great background. The score is atmospheric too.

This is a keeper.

Most of the changes from the French original are for the worse, but the movie still holds together very well, and Bridget Fonda is outstanding in it. Roger Ebert gave it 3 stars out of 4 (and admitted he might have downgraded it due to deja vu after seeing the French version). I saw this movie titled "The Assassin", and can't help thinking this movie would have attracted a larger US audience if this title was used instead of the ho-hum "Point of No Return".